Just Like the Turtleducks
by autumneuphoria
Summary: He was told not to underestimate her love for him, but is it truly enough?


**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of the characters.**

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Was watching _With All My Heart_, an episode of _Merlin_, today with my sister and was inspired by it to write a similar one in the form of Zutara. :)

Again, I do not own _Avatar: The Last Airbender_, nor _Merlin._

Enjoy! :D

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No one knew how it happened.

One minute the Fire Lady was admiring the turtleducks, cooing a baby one onto her palm; and the next, she was gone, a trail of smoke and a piece of parchment pinned to the ground by an arrow in her place.

The Fire Lord had gone on a rampage, quickly followed by a panic fit, and finally, a decision to see the scene of the crime himself.

Upon inspecting the only clues left behind to his wife's disappearance, Zuko called his uncle to his office to discuss the matter at hand.

Just as he had suspected, Iroh confirmed that some of Ozai and Azula's remaining supporters from the Dai Li had been behind the crime. Though it was a desperate and poorly planned one, the life of Katara was still on the line and Zuko simply would not have that.

Later that day would find him preparing for his journey to the assigned meeting place that had been hinted at the left-behind clue, and he was more than prepared to face his adversaries.

Two years into his reign and a year into his marriage, Zuko never expected something as foul-played as this to occur. But his life did seem to have a nasty habit of throwing him the worst of the lemons, and he could only do so little to entertain it.

* * *

The sun was setting by the time the Dai Li marched into view.

Scouring the group of men, he was disappointed to find no trace of his Waterbender with them.

"Where is she?" he ground out, his patience running low with the worry for Katara's safety.

One of the Dai Li stepped forward-the leader, he must've been-and tilted his straw hat away from his eyes.

"Be rest assured, Your Majesty," the man with cruel eyes jeered, his distaste of calling the man before him the title of power obvious. "She is in good condition. However..."

"What? What's your catch?" the Master Firebender's temper rose.

"You will not find her in the same state as we took her." a sadistic smile crept on the man's face.

Zuko's mind reeled. _No. They couldn't have._

"You wouldn't have..." his voice dropped to a threateningly low timbre.

"Oh, but we would." the man's smile only grew wider, and in a split second, he was bending the earth below him into daggers heading straight for the Fire Lord's heart.

Zuko dodged the daggers with ease, but soon found the rest of the Dai Li sending attacks his way in every direction.

A small voice in the back of his head chimed of his promise to Katara and Iroh that he would never use bending to kill-only if times became desperate, and this was one of those times.

_Oh well_, he thought as he sent a spiral jet of flames towards one man, kicking fire out of his leg toward another. _This is self-defense._

* * *

"Tell me where. She. Is."

A sole Dai Li survivor found himself flat on his back and panting, his eyes wide with fear as he stared up at the man who now held his fate in his hand.

The Dai Li swallowed thickly but didn't respond.

"I said: tell me where she is!" a fist of flame came dangerously close to his face and he tried scrambling back, though there was no room for that at all.

"Sh-she's in an underground s-storage room in an a-abandoned building in the L-lower Ring in B-ba Sing Se." the man swallowed thickly as the fire disappeared.

"How do I reverse whatever mind-reeling thing it is you have done to her?" the fist of fire came back and the Dai Li flinched.

"Y-you must trust that a part of her r-remembers you."

"That doesn't make sense."

He could feel the fire's heat a mere breath from his skin.

"Do not u-underestimate the l-love she has for y-you."

Zuko stared into the man's eyes.

No lies, just truth.

No deceit, just fear.

He stepped back. "I will not kill you. You are free to go. And if anyone else from the Dai Li tries something like this again, do not expect the same mercy you have seen today."

The Dai Li swallowed hard and nodded vigorously.

Zuko gave him one last glare before turning to walk away, shaggy locks blowing in the breeze.

* * *

It didn't take him long to find Katara's location.

After asking around the local people, he had easily found the run-down building and entered it in two paces.

The guards who had come with him surrounded the area-safety precautions, Uncle had said.

Two sets of crumbling brick-stairs down later, Zuko found himself in a dimly lit chamber, his wife tied to a chair at the far corner of the room, head leaning on the wall, unconscious.

Quickly moving forward, he cut the ropes that bound her wrist and lifted her head up.

Upon examination, he found her to be of no harm-physically at least.

Just as he was ready to lift her into his arms, her lips parted and she released a groan.

He set her down on the chair once more and waited anxiously for her eyes to flutter open.

"Wh-where am I?" When she finally did, her eyes seemed devoid of it usual spark; and Zuko felt a clump form in his throat.

"You're in Ba Sing Se. The Dai Li kidnapped you earlier this morning but everything's okay now; I'm here." Zuko lifted his hands and cupped either side of her face to steady her gaze.

The waterbender, on the other hand, flinched and darted away from him and toward the stairs.

"Katara! Wait!" sprinting after her, the Fire Lord easily grasped her wrist and brought her close.

"Let me go! You traitor!" Katara screamed the words at his face, eyes burning with anger.

_Great, she's stuck in the Air Temple days. _Inner Zuko grumbled as he swallowed hard.

"Listen to me, Katara."

"Why should I?"

"Remember the day I asked you to marry me? Remember what you said? You said, _'Always. Just like the turtleducks.'_ Remember that?" he could see the recognition flash in her eyes.

"What do you mean turtleducks?" she was curious, but nonetheless suspicious.

He had to keep piquing at her memory.

_Do not underestimate her love for you._

"The turtleducks mate for life. Even if their partner died, they would refuse to take another one. My mother-" he swallowed hard once more at the memories, "-told you that before she passed. You said we were always going to be turtleducks. Just like the turtleducks, Katara, just like the turtleducks."

Zuko dropped his hold on her and hoped against all odds that whatever the Dai Li did to her would break soon enough.

Katara's eyes reflected the torch over head. First with anxiety, then with confusion. And finally, recognition.

"Zuko..." his two-syllable name fell from her lips like two arrows to his chest. Two arrows of _love_.

"Just like the turtleducks."

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01/06/13


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